This blog is a personal take on Listowel, Co. Kerry. I am writing for anyone anywhere with a Listowel connection but especially for sons and daughters of Listowel who find themselves far from home. Contact me at listowelconnection@gmail.com

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

St. Maury's Wind, Christmas lights and more 1940s photos

The lights have come down, the tree has shed all of its needles and has been removed.

It's official...Christmas 2012 is over in Listowel.

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Back to the 1940s

These men are standing at the door of McKenna's. The man on the right is Dick Kiely R.I.P. Church St. We have no name for his companion/ work colleague. Anyone recognize him?

This is Josie Mackessey of Convent St. and later Charles St. She was a sister of the late Mrs. Kirby of Convent St.

These ladies worked in the Accounts' Dept in McKenna's. They are Ethel (Leahy) Ryan R.I.P. , Josie Mackessey R.I.P. and we have no name for the lady on the right.

That's all for now, folks. Work continues on putting names on the remaining photos. Junior Griffin is on the case.

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I thought you might enjoy this from the Cork Examiner of 1851

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In my research for this blog, I read lots of bits and pieces in journals and books as well as online. My favourite source at the moment is Brendan MacWilliam's Weather Eye. It is the perfect book to dip into and bring you a tidbit which you can take or leave as you please. The teacher in me wants to impart all the knowledge I am picking up myself, but the teacher in me also makes me aware that not everyone shares my love of historical trivia.

Today, January 15 is the feast of St. Maury. This saint is also known as St. Maurus. He was born in 520 a.d. and was abbot of the Benedictine monastery in Glanfeuil in France. He was a man of great piety and, when he died on January 15 584, the day was designated his feast day.

The Winter of 1348/49 brought the infamous Black Death to Europe. This plague spread to the eastern coast of Ireland as well where it ravaged the counties around Dublin.

In the years following the bubonic plague there was great weather disturbance and particularly violent storms. One of these storms hit Ireland in 1362 on the feast of St. Maury and became known as "St. Maury's Wind". A contemporary chronicler described "a vehement wind which shook and threw to the ground chimneys, steeples, and other high buildings, trees beyond number and divers belfries and the bell tower of the Friars Preachers in Dublin...."

It was not until 1577 that Dublin City Council hit upon a plan to alert the citizenry to impending storms and a bell-man was employed to issue what today's meteorologists call "severe weather alerts'.